The 33 best bars in Brisbane

Making the decision on where to drink comes with a great deal of responsibility.

Perhaps you’ve never been to Brisbane or are a local looking for a new hang-out – this guide is designed to take the pressure off and guarantee a good time. Don’t let your friends down, read below to find Brisbane’s award-winning bars, bars we love and those that are well-tried and tested.

The taste of beer might be bitter, but your night out doesn’t have to be. Enough from us, we’re sure you’re thirsty…

Brisbane’s favourite whisky saloon took out national Bar of the Year at the 2015 and 2016 Australian Bartender Magazine Awards and Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards. Sink into a chesterfield lounge, rest your whisky on a table made of rich mahogany and take in the old-world charm of the heritage-listed building it’s housed in.

Ride the elevator to the 11th floor and step out into a marble foyer. You’ve arrived at Eleven – a sophisticated bar and restaurant in the sky with uninterrupted views of Fortitude Valley and Brisbane City. This is a place to dress up for, so take note – collared shirts and leather shoes are a must.

Tucked down a laneway in a historic printing building, John Mills Himself puts the focus on local produce. The menu reads like a drive itinerary, letting you know how many kilometres away each wine was fermented, beer was bottled and spirit distilled.

Love live music? Want to listen to it six days a week? You’re in luck. This all-American themed underground laneway bar is every bit as cool as it sounds. With free table pretzels, Brooklyn lager on tap and a dance floor that gets more use than most nightclubs – it’s no wonder Brooklyn Standard took out Best Live Music Venue at the 2015 Australian Bartender Magazine Awards.

Location: Brisbane CityGood for: dancing to live music, hiding in a booth eating pretzels, late nights with friendsWhat to drink: Brooklyn lager

These cocktail kings put twists on the classics and offer up new surprises. Each cocktail gets a name, a quote and a hashtag. Canvas also realises the power of an espresso martini – and serves them for breakfast on weekends.

This fresh, nautical-themed bar and kitchen will whisk you from the centre of the business district to a distant holiday place. Find a spot under the yellow and white striped umbrellas and order a cocktail jug to share.

Dim chandeliers, illuminated taxidermy bears, and deer heads covered in bras. Once a gentlemen’s club, the two-tier venue now rocks country music and live blues every other night. Behind the bar, staff juice Granny Smith apples non-stop to punch out the house specialty – whisky apple juice. Don’t drink whisky? You just might at Lefty’s.

In 2014, Lefty’s won Bar of Year at the Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards – that’s two in a row for Brisbane. #winning

Location: Caxton StreetGood for: a boogie with friendsWhat to drink: whisky apple juice, though there is a full bar of options

Feel like it’s all been there, done that when it comes to Italian dining? Coppa serves modern Italian tapas and a wine list of primarily Italian drops. Grab a seat at the bar for two, order a plate of freshly sliced prosciutto and pick a vino, or one of nine types of negronis on offer – now that’s the perfect aperitivo hour.

Location: Brisbane CityGood for: drinks with your special human or small groups of friends to drink and dineWhat to drink: Negroni or Italian wine

Here chefs have turned the humble cheeseburger into a theatrical production – a blow torch is used to flame grill this bar snack to perfection in front of your eyes. While here, indulge in a selection of charcuterie – including artisan meats, housemade salamis and even vegetarian and vegan charcuterie items.

Step back in time to a prominent era of Brisbane's history. Once a hotspot for antiques, the Gabba welcomes this tribute to the area's history. Drop into the bistro or a bite, kick on in the bar with 75 wines before heading upstairs for jazzy tunes in the secret bar... you have to find it for yourself.

Pull up a cane bar stool on the deck of the retro-styled dive bar in Nundah. Sporting the perfect amount of kitsch, Fitz & Potts is the spot to take friends and whittle away an afternoon with small batch liquors, crafts beers and wines and simple bar food.

Location: NundahGood for: neighbourhood catch-ups, What to drink: something local

This bar is probably too cool for you and everyone you know – that’s all the more reason to visit. Located down Fish Lane, it seats just 10 people and the bartenders are masters of their art, artisans of mixology, cocktail heroes … should we go on? The bar will soon be serving charcuterie too, but in the meantime watch the hanging meats ageing through a window.

Location: South BrisbaneGood for: groups of two-to-four at mostWhat to drink: bespoke cocktails

The End

This is The End my friend – a small galley of a bar popular with West End locals. The bar plays ‘90s films on the back wall (a tribute to Trash Video, the store it replaced), often has live music or a DJ spinning vinyl, and boasts an impressive cocktail list and craft beer offering.

Location: West EndGood for: mingling with local hipstersWhat to drink: anything alcoholic

Tucked away in Burnett Lane off the bustling Queen Street Mall, Super Whatnot is a small bar with a big personality. On its well-travelled drinks menu there is a rotating range of craft beer, boutique wines and impressive cocktail list of classics.

Often the best bars are hidden away, and you’ll find this to be the case with this speakeasy underground. Beneath the iconic Regatta Hotel lies The Walrus Club – a raw brick, chesterfield couch-laden rum den. The large rabbit warren of a space is great for groups and you can catch the CityCat straight to its door – which would be fitting as it draws its name from the SS Walrus, a Brisbane ship that was briefly a floating rum distillery.

Location: ToowongGood for: groups of friends to find a private corner or set of lounges to hang out inWhat to drink: rum

With a prime position on the riverbank, Stoke Bar is the perfect spot to wind down your weekend. Stop by Stokehouse restaurant for lunch before popping next door for drinks with uninterrupted river and CBD views.

Location: South BankGood for: views of the Brisbane RiverWhat to drink: wine

Chances are that you’ll walk past a few times before you find this dive bar. Hidden down an alleyway in Fortitude Valley, Greaser is a relaxed space with a rebellious rock 'n' roll vibe and American-inspired nosh. Throw down a shot of tequila or a pickleback (that’s a shot of whisky followed by a shot of pickle juice) and chase it with fried chicken.

One of Brisbane’s first rooftop bars, Elixir is an intimate garden oasis in the sky. On the roof you’ll find a bar stocked with a fine selection of spirits, impressive cocktail list and great local beers (including Matsos mango beer).

Lose yourself behind the orange door and step into a speakeasy that feels like it's paused time - other than the DJ ducked just by the entrance. An amazing drinks wall behind the bar gives you all the options you need, but their bespoke menu will scintillate your tastebuds. Try score a seat upstairs and settle in. No need to go elsewhere.

Location: Fortitude ValleyGood for: a Saturday night escape from the bustle of Brunswick StreetWhat to drink: any of their cocktails, or try a new whiskey neat

Local micro brewery Newstead Brewing Co is so much more than a few barrels of beer. This gastropub features an affordable gourmet menu to pair with its award-winning brews, and the bar stocks a full range of spirits.

Well known for a fine-dining experience, Byblos should not be overlooked as a quality drinking venue with the menu consisting of a variety of national and international wines, four pages of cocktails depending on your nightly desire and all the spirits you could ever ask for. We wish you all the best in your decision-making.

The only way is … up. Just down the road from Limes, Up on Constance is set above the Tryp Hotel. Head down the graffiti laneway and take the elevator to the top. Here you’ll find a terrace filled with bright chevron-striped padded seats and the perfect view for sunset.

Cardigan Bar is Sandgate's neighbourhood laneway watering hole that provides a great place for people to meet and sip delicious drinks. The boho atmosphere is complemented with folk, jazz, and blues music nightly from Thursday to Sunday. There's often food trucks on-site or you can BYO food.

Location: Seymour St, Sandgate (across the road from Sandgate train station)Good for: the local vibe of Brisbane's bayside and Stitched Up - stand up comedy every third Wednesday What to drink: mulled wine in winter

Located inconspicuously behind an ageing shop front, Junk Bar features quirky decor including deer antlers, forest wallpaper, small palm trees, old couches, dim lamps, and vinyls played on an old record player.

Hidden down a graffiti-clad laneway on George St, Bean is a hidey hole in the CBD for the caffeine lovers and the 5.01pm clubbers. For the it’s five o’clock somewhere club, Bean offer a $10 espresso martini all week long as well as variations on it, including the "crooked kilt" and the "peg leg". There’s a wide selection of craft beers on offer, as well as a gluten-free pale ale and a rotating craft beer on the week.

Location: Brisbane CityGood for: Happy Hour cocktails and picking up a new piece of art at the monthly art exhibitionsWhat to drink: espresso martini

Overlooking the stunning Brisbane River and Story Bridge, Bar Pacino offers a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere – perfect for the Friday after-work wind down or catching up with friends on weekends.

Location: Brisbane City, Eagle Street PierGood for: epic antipasti platters, and sweeping views from the deckWhat to drink: be creative with your cocktail ordering – the bartenders love to use a lighter for some wow factor!

Featuring a neon-lit den and more than 500 skulls painted over the walls, you'll be feeling like a "badass" Tarantino in the heart of New Farm. With a wide selection of cocktail concoctions and craft beer on tap, this venue promises to be a really, really fun night.

Location: New FarmGood for: a rebellious night and maybe an arty Instagram photoWhat to drink: cocktails

Operating out of an old Teneriffe wool shed, Dalgety has the perfect gastropub atmosphere for an after-work drink or weekend spread. Craft beer and exotic cocktails pair well with the share plates, including arancini and lightly smoked salmon - although I don't think a lot of sharing will happen.

Location: Macquarie St, Teneriffe Good for: two for one Aperol Spritz on Saturday'sWhat to drink: cocktails

This no-fuss watering hole keeps the food deliciously classic and the drinks constantly flowing. Transport yourself to England with Young Henry's on tap and a hearty homemade pie of the day or attempt to choose from the never-ending wine list - we dare you.

Location: PaddingtonGood for: English pub food and a pint of brew for the localsWhat to drink: wine

Boasting impressive cocktails and a range of beers, wine and cider, The Apo is your next-stop-shop for drinks on Ann St. With dishes including seared tuna taco, haloumi fries and potato, bacon and rosemary pizza, you won't be able to resist ordering a little food as well.